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 The History

As the Freedom Dawns...


India Independence Day - August 15 - Swatantrata Divas
Independence Day Also called Swatantrata Divas (Hindi)
Observed by Indians Type National Date August 15

The countdown had started much earlier. It was on February 26, 1947,
when the British Government made an important announcement of
policy. It declared, its intention to quit India by June, 1948, and
appointed Lord Mountbatten Viceroy of India to arrange for the
transfer of authority from British to Indian hands. This momentous
declaration had already evoked hearty enthusiasm all over India.
Mountbatten assumed office on 24th March, 1947, and on 3rd June
broadcast the famous declaration laying down the method by which
the power will be transferred.

So, the groundwork was already done. It was only an waiting for the
formal announcement.
As the midnight approached on August 14, 1947, the whole nation had
geared up to greet the glorious moment of their nation's history. And
with the last stroke of midnight the waiting was over. India put her
first step out of the 300 years of British colonial rule as an
Independent nation.

The pangs of heavy losses was there, though . For, the much-sought-
after-freedom had come after so many sacrifices and loss of lives that
it left a deep scar on the soul of the nation. Yet, indeed, it was a
moment of celebration for all Indians.

A special session of the Constituent Assembly was held in New


Delhi on the 14-15 August, 1947.
The 'Independence meeting' began at the Council Chamber of
Parliament building in New Delhi at 11 p.m. on August 14th, 1947.
The session was chaired by the President of the Constituent
Assembly, Dr Rajendra Prasad. The opening song, ' Vande Mataram',
was sung by Mrs Sucheta Kripalani at 11.05 p.m.

Jawaharlal Nehru moved the resolution on behalf of the Congress,


seconded by Chaudhuri Khaliq-uz-Ziman, leader of the Muslim
League Party. It was resolved that "After the last stroke of midnight,
all members of the Constituent Assembly" dedicate themselves "to
the service of India and he people."

Finally, the resolution was moved to take the Oath of the Dedication.
The text of the ran:- " At this solemn moment when the people of
India, by their suffering and sacrifice have secured freedom and
become martyrs of their destiny I .........., a member of Constituent
Assembly of India, do dedicate myself to the service of India and her
people to the end that this ancient land attain its rightful and
honoured place in the world and make its full willing contribution to
the promotion of the world peace and welfare of mankind." All the
members took the oath standing.

The resolution was carried out unanimously. This was followed by


the historic speech of Mr. Nehru , the first prime minister of
Independent India.
It solemnly declared the Independence and the continuance of India
as a part of the British Commonwealth. Lord Mountbatten was
appointed as the first Governor General of new Indian Dominion.
As the 15th dawned on the subcontinent, India woke up to freedom. A
red letter day was born for the nation. It was time to celebrate. To
celebrate the triumph of numerous martyred souls. Indeed, it was a
day of fulfillment, the day of a new beginning, a birth of a sovereign
nation.

The dawn of Independence day began at 8:30 a.m, with the swearing
in ceremony at the Viceregal Lodge (now known as the Rashtrapati
Bhawan). The new Government was sworn in the central hall (now
Durbar Hall). Two large size National Flags along with the Governor
General's flag in deep blue with the Star of India were majestically
hung in the backdrop on the wall of the hall facing the distinguished
gathering. The Tricolor proudly went up for the first time against a
free sky of Independent India on the flag mast of the Council House
at 10:30 a.m.

The first Prime Minister of the India unfurled the tricolor against a
clear warm sky, symbolically marking the end of the British colonial
rule. And a new journey had began.
The Flag [Tiranga]
Born on July 22, 1947 in the Constituent
Assembly on the eve of the Independence, the
Indian national Flag is a horizontal tricolor.
When the adhoc Committee on the Flag
adopted it as the National Flag of free India,
Jawaharlal Nehru made a memorable speech
and concluded saying :

"...this flag that I have the honour to present to


you is... a flag of freedom,
not only for ourselves, but to all people, who
may see it.."

A band of deep saffron is at the top, white in


middle, and dark green is at the bottom. The
three bands of colors are in equal proportions.
While in the center of the white band is a wheel
in navy blue. This wheel is an adaptation from
the sculpted wheel, called Chakra, the wheel of
law, appearing on the abacus of Sarnath
Capital of Asoka, the ancient Indian emperor. It
has 24 spokes and the diameter approximates
the width of the white band.

With all these things the width and length of the


Tricolor is supposed to be in the proportion of 2
to 3.
The design of the Tricolor has been adopted by
the constitutional Assembly of India on 22nd
July, 1947. The flag was designed as a symbol
of freedom. Its use and display are, however,
regulated by a code.

Saffron

White
Green

Significance of the Tricolor:

Each of the three colors in our Tricolor has a


special significance. The saffron stands for
courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation.
The white, is meant for purity and truth. While
the green is for faith and fertility.
The navy blue wheel in the center of the white
band signifies which denotes continual progress of
the country and its blue wheel signifies the
continuity of the nation's progress which is
deemed to be as boundless as the blue sky above
and as fathomless as the deep blue sea that keeps
its hands and feet washed.
The Emblem of India

The state emblem of India is an adaptation from


the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath,
near Benares in the north Indian province of Uttar
Pradesh.

It features 3 lions and the 4th being hidden from


the view. The wheel appears in relief in the center
of the abacus with a bull on the right and a horse
on the left and the outlines of the other wheels on
the extreme right and left. Inscribed below the
abacus in Devnagari script is: "Satyameva Jayate",
meaning, 'Truth Alone Triumphs'. This is a quote
from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of
the Vedas.

The four lions (the 4th being hidden from view) -


symbolize power, courage and confidence rest on a
circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four
smaller animals - guardians of the four directions:
the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the
horse of the south and the bull of the west. The
abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying
the fountainhead of life.

The Anthem of India


The Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian
national anthem from a song written
and composed by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath
Tagore on January 24, 1950.
Before this Vande Mataram written by Bankim
Chandra Chattapadhya
was the National Anthem of India.
Later Constituent Assembly of India,( Vol.XII,
24-1-1950) opined:
"The composition consisting of words and music
known as Janaganamana
is the National Anthem of India, subject to such
alterations
as the Government may authorise as occasion
arises, ..."

Only the first of the five


stanzas was designated as the
anthem.
The anthem goes:

Jaana Gaana Maana


Adhinayaka Jayehe
Bharata bhagya vidhata;
Punjaba Sindhu Gujarata
Maratha,
Dravida Utkala Banga,
Vindhya, Himachala,
Jamuna, Ganga,
Ucchhala Jaladhitaranga;
Taba Shubha Naame Jaage
Taba Shubha Ashish Maage
Gaye taba jaya gaatha.
Jaana Gaana Maana
Adhinayaka Jayahe
Bharata bhagya vidhata;
Jaya he Jaye he
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya he.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

The English rendition of


the song goes like this:

Thou art the ruler of the


minds of all people,
Dispenser of India's
destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts
of the Punjab,
Sind, Gujarat, and Maratha,
Of the Dravid, and Orissa
and Bengal.
It echoes in the hills of
Vindhyas and,
Himalayas, mingles in the
music of the
Jamuna and the Ganges and
is chanted by
the waves of the Indian sea.
The pray for the blessings,
and sing by the praise,
The saving of all people
waits in thy hand.
Thou dispenser of India's
destiny,
Victory, victory, victory to
thee.
The Symbols of India -

National Emblem
The national emblem comes from the Sarnath
Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka. Ashoka ruled
the land from 272 BCE to 232 BCE. The original
sculpture shows four lions on a pillar with an
elephant, horse, bull, and lion separated by a lotus
on the base. A Dharma Chakra (wheel of law) is
also carved into the stone.
The emblem was adopted on January 26, 1950 by
the Indian Government. The official symbol now
shows three of the four lions with the Dharma
Chakra in the center of the base and a bull and
horse on either side. The base is also engraved
with the phrase "Satyameva Jayate" in the
Devanagari script of India. This simple phrase
represents a powerful idea for the Indian people:
"Truth alone triumphs".
National Animal
Tiger (Panthera Tigris, Linnaeus) is the national
animal of India. Tiger is also known as the lord of
Jungles. The tiger is symbolic of India's wildlife
wealth. The rare combination of grace, strength,
agility and enormous power has earned the tiger
great respect and high esteem. India is home to
nearly half of the total population of tigers.
National Bird
The Peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), is the
national bird of India. The peacock symbolises
qualities like beauty, grace, pride and mysticism.
Peacock is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-
shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the
eye and a long, slender neck. The male of the
species is more colourful than the female, with a
glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular
bronze-green train of around 200 elongated
feathers they spead out in display at the onset of
the monsoons. The female is brownish in color,
slightly smaller than the male, and lacks the train.
Peacocks have a harsh voice, which is a stark
contrast to their beauty. The elaborate courtship
dance of the male, fanning out the tail and
preening its feathers is a beautiful sight.
Peacock is the sacred bird of the India, protected
not only by the religious sentiment but also by
parliamentary statute.
National Calendar of India
The national calendar of India is based on the Saka Era
with Chaitra as the first month and a normal year of
365 days. The national calendar of India was adopted on
March 22nd 1957. Dates of the Indian national calendar
have a permanent correspondence with the Gregorian
calendar dates- 1 Chaitra normally falls on 22 March
and on 21 March in leap year.
The national Calendar of India is used along with the
Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes-
(i) Gazette of India, (ii) news broadcast by All India
Radio, (iii) calendars issued by the Government of
India and (iv) Government communications addressed
to the members of the public.
The Indian Tricolour
The Indian flag is rectangular in shape and is
made up of three horizontal breadths of Saffron,
White and Green. The Saffron stands for courage
nad sacrifice, White for purity and Green for
fertility. There is a wheel with 24 spokes in the
middle of the white coloured portion of the flag.
The wheel represents the Dharma Chakra.
National Flower
Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera) is the National Flower of
India. On the virtue of being a sacred flower, it
occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of
ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of
Indian culture since time immemorial. The Lotus
symbolises divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and
enlightenment. The flower grows in murky waters and
rises on a long stalk above the surface to bloom. It
represents long life, honor, and good fortune.
Lotus is also symbolic of the purity of heart and
mind.The lotus holds additional significance for
Hindus, as it is a symbol of God and used often in
religious practices. According to the popular Indian
thought, there is the last and final lotus - Charan Kamal
or lotus feet of the Almighty. It was this depth of
thought that made the founding fathers of modern
India enshrine the lotus in the Constitution as the
National Flower.
National Fruit of
India
Mango (Mangifera Indica) is the National fruit of
India. In India, mango is cultivated almost in all parts,
except the hilly areas. Mango is a rich source of
Vitamins A, C and D. In India, we have hundreds of
varieties of mangoes. They are of different sizes, shapes
and colors. Even in our mythology and history there are
stories of mangoes- the famous Indian poet Kalidasa
sang its praise. Alexander the great, along with Hieun
Tsang savored the taste of mangoes. The great Mughal
king, Akbar is said to have planted over 100,000 mango
trees in Darbhanga (modern Bihar). The mango is
eaten ripe and is also used to make pickles.
The National Tree of
India

The National tree of India is the banyan. This


huge tree towers over its neighbors and has the
widest reaching roots of all known trees, easily
covering several acres. It sends off new shoots
from its roots, so that one tree is really a tangle of
branches, roots, and trunks. The banyan tree
regenerates and beats all other tree in its longevity.
It is thought to be the immortal tree. Its size and
leafy shelter are valued in India as a place of rest
and reflection, not to mention protection from the
hot sun! India has a long history of honoring this
tree; it figures prominently in many of the oldest
stories of the nation.
National Game of
India
Hockey, which has been played in India ince time
immemorial, is the National Game of India. There
was a golden period of Indian hockey when
hockey stalwarts of India ruled the game. On the
international scenario there were no competitors
to match the magic of Indian hockey players. The
unmatched excellence and incomparable talent of
Indian players became folklore. The ball-juggling
feats of players like Major Dhyanchand made
people think that Indian players used some
underhand means. The Golden Era of hockey in
India was the period from 1928 - 1956 when India
won 6 successive gold medals in the Olympic
Games.
Facts of India -
Here are some amazing facts that will make you more
proud to be an Indian. Read on ...

o India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years


of history.
o Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages.
Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer
software, according to a report in Forbes magazine,
July 1987.
o The
o India invented the Number System. Zero was invented
by Aryabhatta.
o W orld’s first u n iversity w as estab lish ed in T ak sh ila in
700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the
world studied more than 60 subjects there. The
University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BC was
one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the
field of education.
o Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to
humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated
Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast
regaining its rightful place in our
civilization.
o India was the richest country on earth until the British
invaded in the early 17th Century. Christopher
Columbus was attracted by In dia’s w ealth .
o Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth
to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the
astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun
in the 5th century - 365.258756484 days.
o The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000
years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from
the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is
also derived fro m S an sk rit ‘N ou’.
o The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana,
and he explained the concept of what is known as the
Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th
century long before the European mathematicians.
o According to the Gemological Institute of America, up
until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to
the world.
o Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India.
Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th
century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the
Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers
as big as 10**53(10 to the power of 53) with specific
names as early as 5000 BCE during the Vedic period.
Even today, the largest used number is Tera 10**12(10
to the power of 12).
o Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India
medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy,
embryology, digestion, metabolism, physiology,
etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many
ancient Indian texts.
o USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century
old suspicion in the world scientific community, that
the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof.
Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
o Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and
health scientists of his time conducted complicated
surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs,
fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and
brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in
ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used.
Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology,
embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and
immunity is also found in many texts.
o The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built
in Saurashtra.
o Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in
India.
o When many cultures were only nomadic forest
dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established
Harappan culture in Sindh Valley, known as the Indus
Valley Civilization.
o The place value system, the decimal system was
developed in India in 100 BC.
o Spiritual science, Yoga and most of the religions were
found in India and the teachings spread all over the
world by Indian Mystics and the Saints.
o The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara
temple at Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The shikhara is
made from a single ' 80-tonne ' piece of granite. Also,
this magnificient temple was built in just five years,
(between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of
Rajaraja Chola
o India is.......the Largest democracy in the world, the 6th
largest country in the world AND one of the most
ancient and living civilizations (at least 10, 000 years
old).
o The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th
century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called
'Mokshapat.' The ladders in the game represented
virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was
played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through
time, the game underwent several modifications but
the meaning is the same i.e good deeds take us to
heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

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